Self-supporting figure control pants

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a shape controlling outer pant garment with a pant portion and a self-fupporting upper shaped portion which surrounds and compresses the wearer while supported on the pant portion.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to shape-control outer garments. More particularly, the present invention relates to outer pant garments having adjustable shape control at the waist and the midriff of the wearer which do not restrict overall movement.

BACKGROUND AND THE PRIOR ART

Prior art pants are designed to be carried on the wearer's body by fitment at the hips and waist areas with the weight of the pants being supported held up by that fitment. For most wearers, particularly women, the waist and hip sizes are quite different. This has been heightened by the increasing use of pants by women since the original pant designs were focused on the male shape. Since the waist and hips are in close proximity significant patterning is required to get a both a good fit with the necessary holding characteristics, particularly where highly shaped. Custom tailored pants are carefully fitted to both areas. Most pants, however, are sold at retail off the rack in a wide variety of standard sizes. Standardization requires that hip size be the primary focus of sizing leaving the waist size as an important but secondary consideration. An alternative is presented in pants commonly known as hip-hugger which are very low rise as they do not seek to cover the waist to any substantial degree.

Despite the high inventory levels usually maintained to provide for the retail customer and the variety of sizes and shapes of wearers many of these retail pants are either ill-fitting or they require individual adjustments at the waist since hip sizes are more difficult and, thus, more expensive to adjust after the fact. This situation is particularly difficult in the women's fashion trade as an expanding inventory level is required to meet an expanding variety of styles, designs, patterns and colours. The lack of definition is particularly important in highly shaped figures, particularly those of women.

An alternative is provided by an adjustable waistband. Most typically such adjustable waistband areas draw in the garment at the waistband and create a narrowed or expanded shape at the waist which functions to assist in holding up the garment on the wearer.

Unfortunately, due to advancing age and life style choices the soft tissue areas between the hips and the chest are prone to become increasingly less well defined as a person ages. This causes waist fitment to become more problematic as increased tension in the waistband is required to maintain the desired fit and shape while holding the pant in place. The pant garment starts to function more and more as a shaping garment by compressing soft tissues in this area and less as a mere existing-shape fitter.

The typical off-the-rack pant garment is not suited to this ‘new’ function as the soft tissue areas being compressed merely bulge out where the opportunity arises, most often above the pants themselves, leaving an unsightly bulge sometimes referred to as a ‘muffin top’ and a rolling over or bunching of the waistband.

Additionally, waistband structure has been used to assist in compression and maintenance of the garment shape, further compressing soft tissue upward and tending to create a sharp line of definition between the controlled area and the open area above the pant.

In the past this problem has been addressed by various separate shape control undergarments designed to compel this soft tissue to conform to a desirable shape, often referred to as an hour-glass shape or figure, when referring to women. Such shape control garments are well hidden beneath more appealing outwear, including pants, tops etc. These undergarments, such as expansible girdles and traditional corsets, are primarily directed at relatively high load situations and are held in place by pull down supports from the bottom (usually at the crotch area), by pull up supports from the top (usually with a set of straps), by a highly shaped middle section or by a combination of the above with or without internal structural members. Since the focus is on shaping by compression, an adjustment is often provided whereby the circumference may be expanded or reduced by a lace up or by buttons or the like. Pre-shaping of such garments can occur within the garment fabric by a series of shaped fabric panels, with or without structure supports, while the circumference adjustments are substantially uniform over the height of the garment.

To achieve this end corsets and similar garments are known to be highly restrictive. They do not allow free movement of the body particularly in bending and turning and can be extremely uncomfortable.

Another attempt at satisfactory shaping are the body stocking and-or girdle undergarments in which an expansible fabric sleeve is used to control the shape of the wearer.

Unfortunately these undergarments are often uncomfortable and highly restrictive of the free movement of the wearer. With limited movement they have a tendency to roll or slide downwards due to the lack of sufficient vertical stays or boning, making them even less comfortable and less appealing to the wearer.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIOIN

The present invention provides a modern and stylish answer to the growing need for a shape control outer pants garment particularly suited to women, which is adapted to high volume manufacture and distribution and retail off-the-rack or ready to wear sales at a reasonable price.

The present invention provides a self-supporting shaped pants garment in which shaping and support control is provided by an upper portion or extension from traditional pant design and maintains a high comfort level along with freedom of all types of movement by the wearer.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shape control pant wherein the shaping upper portion is secured to and supported upon a traditional pant lower portion and extends across the midriff.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shape control pant with an upper edge also supported vertically upon the pant lower portion while permitting full and free movement of the wearer at the chest bones without interference.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shape control pant wherein the shaping elements required for soft tissue shaping do not substantially interfere with strucutural elements of the body of the wearer and provide superior comfort and back support particularly while sitting or driving.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention are set forth in the within description, and will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification or may be learned by practice of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a pant garment with entry and exit means with a pant portion adapted to be suspended upon the hips of the wearer, and an upper shaped portion preferably fabricated from a plurality of shaped fabric panels adapted to surround said wearer upwards from said pant portion to and across the midriff, wherein said shaped portion includes means to close about said wearer, a lower edge secured to said pant portion, an upper edge, means to support said upper edge on said pant portion, and adjustable means adapted to compress the midriff inwards and upwards.

The invention further provides a pant garment wherein the shaped portion is hour glass shaped and the adjustment is generally V-shaped opening upwards.

The invention also provides a pant garment the adjustable means extends from the sacroiliac area to the said upper edge of said shaped portion.

The invention also provides a pant garment wherein support includes vertically oriented stiffening elements such as boning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a frontal plan view of the low-rise version of the pant of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear plan view of the pant of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a frontal plan view of the pant of FIG. 1 in a high-rise version.

FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of the high-rise pant of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an plan view of the shaped portion of the pant of FIG. 1 expanded horiztonally to show its individual panels.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of support boning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The shaped pant of the invention 1 in low-rise form is depicted in frontal plan view in FIG. 1 and is comprised of a fabric shaped portion 2 and a pant portion 6. Pant portion 6 is suspended or held up on the wearer 14 at or near the hip line 3 as shown. The shaped portion 2, when closed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, completely surrounds the wearer (shown in dotted relief at 14) in compression from the wearer hip line 3 to the top of the midriff 4 just below the bust line 5 and thus controls the waist without controlling the upper body or bust area with a balanced pressure. The wearer hip line 3 demonstrates a hip-hugger pant portion 6 with a belt closure 7 and a frontal zipper fly 8 for ease of reference. Alternatively, pant portion 6 may be closed by buttons or elastic material located in various alternate places (not shown) around the periphery of the wearer 14.

In a shaped pant of regular fit the pant portion 6 would extend vertically further above hip-line 3, as at 9, but still below the waistline 10, see FIGS. 3 and 4 referred to below.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 shaped portion 2 includes a lower edge 11 which is joined to pant portion 6 in a traditional manner, such as by sewing, and extends upwards on the wearer 14 to upper edge 12. Wearer 14 entry and exit is facilitated by a series of joiners 13 which may be buttons, snaps, zippers, or any other suitable device which maintains shaped portion 2 closed while the pant 1 is being worn as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably joiners 13 are mounted to the front of the wearer 14 and above zipper fly 8 to maintain the traditional operations of daily entry and exit and a traditional appearance.

Shaped portion 2 is formed from a series of shaped fabric panels 16 into a classic hour-glass form as at 15 completely surrounding the wearer 14.

Stiffening elements or boning strips 17 are generally aligned vertically to the wearer 14 and preferably extend from lower edge 11 to upper edge 12. Boning strips 17 are secured to or within channels formed in the fabric of shaped portion 2 in a traditional manner and maintain both the hour-glass shape 15 by compression, support the shaped portion and maintain the vertical separation 18 between lower edge 11 and upper edge 12. In FIG. 1 six boning strips 17 are shown. The number and location of the boning strips 17 may vary depending upon the amount of support and the styling required by any individual wearer. Fewer boning strips are required for a garment of the invention with less support.

Preferably stiffening elements or boning strips 17 lie along the shaped sides (‘b’ and ‘c’ in FIG. 5) of some or all of panel s 16.

FIG. 2 shows a rear plan view of the shaped pant of FIG. 1. Generally V-shaped lace-up closure 19 preferably extends from the sacroiliac area 20 of wearer 14 towards, and preferably to, shaped portion upper edge 12. V-shaped closure 19 provides an adjustable circumference to the upper portion 6 which may remain permanent for any wearer 14 or be adjusted as required for fitment and/or support. V-shaped closure 19 increasing separation 24 upwards as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. Preferably sepeation 24 uniformly increases with height, as shown. Alternatively seperation sides 36 c and 37 b, FIG. 5, may also be shaped to assist in fit and control in conjunction with closure 19. V-shaped closure 19 includes a series of spaced eyelets or looped carriers 21 and laces 22 adapted to draw in upon the V-shaped closure and thus the hour-glass shape of shaped portion 2. V-shaped closure 19 may be formed into the fabric of shaped portion 2 by the addition of eyelets 21 or other similar looped carrier means directly to the surface of the fabric or by a V-shaped cutout with edges 23. Tightening V-shaped closure 19 reduces the circumference of the shaped portion 6 about wearer 14 while maintaining the hour-glass shape of portion 6 and compressing wearer soft tissue inwards and upwards. Preferably, V-shaped closure 19 is set once or, at most periodically when better fitment or different levels of control are required, for each individual wearer 14 while joiners 13 are used for repeated uses of the pant garment.

As can be seen, drawing in upon laces 22 draws in upon the hour-glass shape of shaped portion 2 and provides this variable lateral and upwards compression to the soft tissues of wearer 14 between the sacroiliac area and the hip-line 3 to the upper edge of the midriff 4. The shaped portion is held in place and in form by the hour glass shape 15 formed of shaped panels 16 and boning strips 17 in conjunction with this lateral compression.

Upper edge 12 is generally below the bust line 5 and does not significantly engage the rib cage or the upper body of wearer 14 thus allowing the normal full freedom of movement of wearer 14 in the area of shaped portion 2.

An alternative embodiment of the invention adapted to a high rise pant style is shown at 1 a in FIGS. 3 and 4. The shaped portion tower edge 11 a extends to hip line 9 a providing for a longer zipper fly 8 a. Preferably, V-shaped closure 19 extends substantially below hip line 9 a and lower edge 11 a to the sacroiliac area 20 as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

At FIG. 5 the shaped portion 2 of the pant 1 of FIG. 1 is shown in an exploded planar view. Each of eight individual fabric panels 30 through 37 inclusive extends upwards from a panel bottom d to a panel top a and include a pair of shaped panel sides b and c. Each of panel sides b and c would be joined for form shaped portion 2 in the form of the classic female hour-glass shape as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. Panel bottoms d would be aligned to form shaped portion lower edge 11 and secured to pant portion 6 (not shown in FIG. 5). Panel tops a would form shaped portion upper edge 12. More or fewer panels in a variety of shapes would be used for more or less control and variations in the shaping of the garment and may include one or more traditional darts or double darts. Preferably, eight panels provide for comfortable shaping of the pant garment overall and provide good fitment.

Preferably each panel top a is aligned along upper edge 12 and panel bottom d is aligned along lower edge 11 so that the panels may be readily cut from a single strip of fabric or cut on folded fabric as miror images of each other.

Panel sides b and c are shaped so that upon attachment of each panel to its adjacent neighbour the hour-glass form is created in the finished piece as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4.

center front panels 32 and 33 are shown as a single conjoined piece in FIG. 5 as the center front of the finished shaped pant 1 of the invention is most readily formed of panels 32 and 33 fastened together by joiners 13 when in use by the wearer 14.

Rear panels 36 and 37 are shown in FIG. 5 as interconnected by spaced eyelets or looped carriers 21 and laces 22 for form V-shaped closure 19 and so as to depict the rear view of completed shaped portion 2. Rear panel sides 36 c and opposing 37 b form the V-shape of the invention when the panels 36 and 37 are aligned with bottom and top sides d aligned with bottom edge 11 and top edge 12 and joined into the finished garment.

Preferably panels 30 through 37 of FIG. 5 are joined into the finished shaped panel 2 as by traditional sewing along adjacent panel sides b and c but for the front and rear closures shown in FIGS. 1 through 5.

Alternatively, upper edge 12 and lower edge 11 may provide a curve or shaped edge which may be joined to or supported upon pant section 6 along a curve adapted to the shape of the wearer 14.

In FIG. 6 a substantially vertical boning 17 is shown in cross-section as contained within channel 38 between panels 30 and 31. Panels 30 and 31 are aligned along fabric plane 41 and sewn along both sides as at 39 and 40 to form vertical channel 38. Preferably boning 17 is sewn into each vertical side b and c of panels 30 through 37 for strong shaping and control. In situations where less shaping or control is required these vertical seams may omit some boning.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto, and that many obvious modifications and variations can be made, and that such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A shape control outer pant garment comprising: (a) entry and exit means, and (b) a pant portion adapted to be suspended upon the hips of the wearer, and (c) an upper shaped portion adapted to surround said wearer upwards from said pant portion towards the midriff, (d) wherein said shaped portion comprises: i. means to close said shaped portion about said wearer, ii. a lower edge secured to said pant portion, iii. an upper edge, iv. means to support said shaped portion and said upper edge on said pant portion, and v. adjustable means adapted to compress and redistribute the soft tissues surrounding the midriff.
 2. A shape control outer pant garment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaped portion is adapted to surround said wearer to the midriff.
 3. A shape control outer pant garment as claimed in claim 2 wherein said shaped portion is adapted to surround said wearer across the midriff.
 4. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said shaped portion is hour glass shaped.
 5. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 1 or 4 wherein said adjustable means is generally V-shaped opening upwards.
 6. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 5 wherein said said adjustable means extends from the sacroiliac area to the said upper edge of said shaped portion.
 7. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said support means include vertically oriented stiffening elements.
 8. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 7 wherein said shaped portion is hour glass shaped.
 9. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein said adjustable means is generally V-shaped opening upwards.
 10. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 9 wherein said said adjustable means extends from the sacroiliac area to the said upper edge of said shaped portion.
 11. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 10 wherein said stiffening elements are boning strips.
 12. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said shaped portion comprises a plurality of individually shaped fabric panels.
 13. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 12 wherein said plurality of panels is adapted to provide said hour glass shape.
 14. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein said adjustable means is generally V-shaped opening upwards.
 15. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 14 wherein said said adjustable means extends from the sacroiliac area to the said upper edge of said shaped portion.
 16. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 15 wherein said support means include vertically oriented stiffening elements.
 17. A shape control pant garment as claimed in claim 16 wherein said stiffening elements are boning strips. 